Fish Tank 59
Interview with Higuchi Yutaka
Translation: Lola


How did you find doing the first FC only live of the standing tour?
I think if I'm going to compare then...the set list was easy to come up with this time too. Because we decided to do songs for the FC only lives that we hadn't done yet. So other than ones we hadn't done yet there were just a few that we weren't sure about. But it was like that for the set list of both tours, we would think to do songs that would enhance the image of "RAZZLE DAZZLE" and that made it fairly easy to decide. Still, I had to try hard for the songs from when I was young. Because they tire me out *smiles*.


Speaking of the FC only lives, we planned a group photo for the first time.
It turned out amazing!! It's nice and clear *smiles*.

I thought it was incredibly heart warming, like it was a whole FC event.
*smiles* Yeah? Well it was heart warming.

How do you find the current tour compared to the hall tour?
It feels completely different but I'd say it's fun. The hall tour gave "RAZZLE DAZZLE" a more show like quality I'd say. Whereas the standing live is better suited to a live house feeling.

Since it's like a live house, you used earphones right?
Right. During the previous tour I had asked if having the earphones is comfortable or not. Then midway through the tour I thought ok, I'll try to use them but I was kinda afraid to. Because you know, what if something bad happened, that'd be horrible. But from now on I will use them.

How do you find them then?
It feels completely different. But yeah, it's good.

The other day you had two shows in Shinkiba and on the first day we tried a limited mobile for the first time.
That was interesting wasn't it. That with the fan club only show seemed like something special.

With the added gift of the voice message.
I thought that was fun, yeah. Here we just did it for the fan club but I'm sure we could do various things with that in the future.

During the hall tour, the Osaka show was filmed so were you more nervous than usual the day before the recording?
Of course I'm worried about the sound so I try to play with extreme care but you know.... It would actually suck if I ended up playing too stiffly.

You closed the end of the year with the show at Budoukan and I heard that it was unusually good compared to recent years.
Yeah. Like there weren't even any little mistakes and the atmosphere...reflected that in all of us and it seemed like the fans and the staff felt it too you know? That's why it was such a good live, everything came together. Usually there's always something that just isn't quite right but there was nothing at all like that this time. It was just good.

The day before Budoukan you performed in an event that you don't usually.
Yes, right, you mean the Rockin' On Japan. We're al~ways invited to go and I always think I'd like to do it but then our schedules always seem to conflict with it. I'm glad we were able to do it this year, since we always do get invited.

It's rare that you end up doing a live the day before Budoukan though, so how did you find that?
But it went with the flow of the tour you know. And we only did a small selection of songs so it was really easy.

Was the feeling different since there were people there other than Buck-Tick fans?
Yeah, it is different. But I like that, I like seeing the different people who come and the festival like feeling.

Every year at the end of the year you usually go to pound the mochi but you didn't get to do this time did you?
Oh, yeah, I went in the morning *smiles*. I went on the 28th *smiles*.

You're so devoted! It's rare that you start tours in January but you have this year....
But I found it was a great way to follow up the hall tour. But if we didn't do the hall tour first and then had to jump into a tour in January then yeah, that'd be intense *smiles*.

Then there's what happened on the 23rd of January, the day before your birthday.
Ah yes, the day before. You know I really wasn't expecting anything since it was the day before. Because it's not the actual day of my birthday you know. But I thought maybe they'd do something after the show. I really wasn't aware of anything though this time. I think I might have been nervous too, surprisingly, with the two different set lists, one for the first day then another for the FC only show. So I really wasn't expecting anyone to make arrangements for a cake for me....

And how were you when they brought out the cake?
Well...kinda shy *smiles*.

So you did get to celebrate after the show after all and ate a big cake.
Yes, I'm thankful for that. It's not something I'd eat ordinarily *smiles*.

For someone who doesn't really eat sweets you certainly did your best to eat your birthday cake Yuuta-san.
Yeah but you know I have a weakness for sweets....

You're still mid tour but what would you like to do afterwards?
First, breathe a big sigh of relief. I hope we're able to maintain good lives with the same good vibe that we're doing now so that afterwards I can relax.

Finally would you say something to everyone awaiting the Akasaka BLITZ live?
Since putting out "RAZZLE DAZZLE", the tour has felt really complete and since Akasaka will be closing the tour I'll really try to enjoy myself so I want everyone to look forward to it!